Access control systems provide security to homes and businesses by controlling access to a facility and preventing unwanted intrusions. Generally, an access control system has both hardware and software that are integrated to provide security technologies. Most systems contain access control panels that operate with software to control access, identify users, and detect intruders. To obtain access to a restricted space monitored by an access control panel, an individual presents an authentication token, for example, an id card. Using data from the authentication token, the control panel processes its “control information” including features, capabilities, configured behaviors, and access control decisions in the panel. The control information determined by the controller at the time an authentication token is presented is limited to that which had been installed on the access control system. A specific update process is required to change the system's installed logic and/or data.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0028814 for Smart Card Access Control System discloses access readers that are pre-programmed with an initial activation key, and initialized by an activation card encoded with the same key. Different card types are used with the access reader to perform particular individual tasks such as activation, access, deactivation, and updating of the reader.
Among the problems of the aforementioned systems is the lack of flexibility in the access control panel or reader. A specific action, i.e., an update, or particular device, i.e., an activation card pre-programmed with initialization instructions, is required to change the logic and/or data on the access control panel after installation.